Roger Pratt, a 62-year-old Briton, was killed and his wife left injured in an
attack on their yacht in St Lucia

A British man on a year-long sailing trip to the Caribbean has been killed and his wife left injured after their yacht was attacked inSt Lucia.

Roger Pratt, 62, is understood to have been shot on a boat moored off the Vieux Fort coast as he defended his wife Margaret from robbers who had boarded the vessel.

The couple, from Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire, who ran a financial consultancy firm together, were six months into a trip to celebrate Mrs Pratt’s 60th birthday when their yacht was attacked on Friday night, the Mail on Sunday reported.

They had reportedly moored the boat in the port of Vieux Fort, having failed to secure permission from customs officials to leave.

Anel Innocent, a local police spokesman, said Mr Pratt was attacked and shot when the boat was apparently boarded by three men.

Related Articles

One of the suspects was said to have later been killed in a shoot-out with officers, who detained at least two men.

Mr Pratt died from his injuries after being taken to hospital.

His wife was being treated in hospital on Saturday night.

Mr Innocent said police had opened an investigation and would carry out a post-mortem examination.

Lorne Theophilus, the St Lucian tourism minister, said: “It is with much regret that I and other industry partners have learnt of the unfortunate incident which has resulted in the loss of life of a visitor to our shores.”

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are aware of the death of a British national in St Lucia. We are providing consular assistance to the family.”

Writing on her LinkedIn profile before she left, Mrs Pratt said: "Off travelling! The plan is to be in the Caribbean for my 60th birthday in January 2014... all a bit of a leap into the unknown.